I have mentioned elsewhere I am reading a book by El-Saadawi titled Diary of a child name Souad, which was her first literary work. It is presented as narrative, interposed with dialogue in various places, but of a child. And at some point, the child wonders
what the benefit is for a human to think and choose good, for example, if God has decreed evil for him?
Is not everything god’s will? She continues to ask
can a human do good against God’s will?
And we have her father respond thus
God decrees evil for evil people and for good ones, he decrees good
the Souad asks a follow up question
God is the one who creates the evil and the good, can the evil become good against God’s will
and finally in anger, her father responds, and it could be any believer in DCT or any of those millions who justify the Canaanite massacre
this is God’s wisdom in his creation and he is free to do what he wants with his slaves. He gives to who he wants, and denies who he wants, and he bestows gifts on who he wants, and leads astray who he wants. Everything goes according to his will. He is the wise knower.
and this reminds me of the book by Boethius, Consolations of philosophy, where Fortune is portrayed as both blind and capricious, favouring whom she wills and reminding Boethius he has no reason to complain about his situation.
Random thoughts 
I’ve always been curious. If our nature (essence) is the will of another, then why should we even bother with striving to be good rather than evil? Let’s assume the worst and live happily ever after! Naked hugs!
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We do that generally, I think
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So do I have your Holinesses’ permission to enthusiastically embrace and indulge? 😉
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Yes as long as you don’t kill yourself while at it
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”can a human do good against God’s will?. Certainly, but it takes some scriptural wrangling. I have a very wealthy brother that refuses to help people based on gods word. God has chosen the path for everyone, who is he to interfere with that wisdom? He thinks god is teaching them the lessons they need to progress in the life to come, therefore he sits on his hoards of money. He actually told me he thanks god for the life he has—that his wife really needed this lifestyle to be at peace. I know, he contradicts himself, but that’s money backed by religious belief. He doesn’t speak to me any more. I guess god didn’t create atheists to prove them for the next life.
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I don’t find this surprising at all. I would be shocked if we didn’t find a believer who expressed such thought
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well, that’s quite an excuse for being greedy.
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He’s had to hone his excuses to justify himself. I have many stories that are just too long to put here. After 8 months he finally sent me his share of the money for moms headstone. He paid me in krugerrands. He called me a few days later to see if I’d cashed em in or not because they had gone up in value and he thought I owed him a refund. Make a good snl skit or some damn thing.
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yeeesh. I have an idiot brother too, but that is just too much.
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Hahaha.
He reminds of Getty, in the movie all the money in the world. I have not seen a miser like him anywhere
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That doesn’t even make sense to me. If they are “worthy” of being “saved” and are thus headed for paradise, what useful lessons are there for an eternity of Praising Teh Lawd and laughing at the tortures of the damned? Everything will be perfect-streets of gold and all that. What lessons do poverty teach for this forthcoming world?
If your brother were HINDU and we were talking about reincarnation, this argument could at least make some modicum of sense. But in the Christian context….none. Especially given that his attitude directly contradicts a variety of explicit directions in his very own Bible.
Family is family, but you are probably lucky this guy has cut you out.
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Not to brag or anything, but most of my family isn’t talking to me any more.
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I find that so strange.
Why should religion, a personal affair, come between families?
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I’ve been pondering that a lot lately Mak. No “Belief” should be held so highly as to divide. It’s a friggin belief! No no substance, just thoughts. It’s crazy. But any group that requires belief, will betray you over unbelief.
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It is painful. I deal with pain through humor—I always have. This is the promise of Christianity though. The greatest of immoralities embraced like a friggin virtue. Makes no sense
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I think they put to practice that verse about not being unequally yoked or something like that.
They are just trying to ensure heaven is assured
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“reminding Boethius he has no reason to complain about his situation.”
and such an entity is WORTHY of worship why, exactly?
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Only a mad person would worship such an entity
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